FBI Agent Thomas Jennings has just arrived in San Francisco, fresh-faced and ready to tackle crime in the big city… but he’s not nearly prepared for what he’s about to encounter. The city’s crime lords are being systematically murdered, and those responsible are the stuff of his nightmares. In a desperate race to end the spree killings and rescue two targeted and helpless children, Jennings will be forced to question every belief he holds dear… and struggle to hold onto his humanity. Gritty, sometimes depraved crime fiction in the tradition of James Elroy, Jim Thompson, and EC-era crime and horror comics, Seduction of the Innocent reunites writer Ande Parks and artist Esteve Polls, the acclaimed creative team that brought you The Death of Zorro and The Lone Ranger.

In his first week on the job, FBI Agent Thomas Jennings has seen enough horror to threaten his faith, and perhaps his sanity. Now he stands alone – the last line of defense against a madman intent on the murder of two innocent children, and on the destruction of a city. It’s crime storytelling in the tradition of the comics that made Dr. Fredric Wertham froth at the mouth. From the acclaimed team that brought you The Lone Ranger, a final issue that delivers a punch in the gut that won’t soon be forgotten.

The streets of 1953 San Francisco are overflowing with blood, as a pair of ghastly killers continue to terrorize the city. FBI Agent Thomas Jennings has his hands full at his new post. He’s got to find two lost children before they become the next victims, he’s got to bring the villains to justice, and he’s got to keep himself from slipping into madness. From the Japanese Tea Garden to San Fran’s legendary Chinatown, the battle rages. Tough, gritty crime action, guaranteed to send the ghost of Dr. Fredric Wertham into a panic.

San Francisco, 1953. F.B.I. Agent Thomas Jennings has been in town all of forty-eight hours. He’s been stabbed, chased, and betrayed, witnessing more horrors than he ever could have imagined. Now, in a desperate race to find two abandoned children in the vast jungle of the city, Jennings struggles to hold onto his own humanity, his own… innocence. Tough, relentless crime storytelling in the tradition of Jim Thompson and James Ellroy, from the team that brought you The Death of Zorro and The Lone Ranger.

Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!

We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Alex

Top Pick: Howard The Duck #3 (Marvel) – This series is probably my most anticipated comic every month because it doesn’t take itself even remotely seriously. It’s like a shining beacon in the sea of dark and gritty comics that I otherwise read.

Lobster Johnson: Glass Mantis (Dark Horse) – It’s only the second comic I’ve read featuring the Lobster, but he’s a character I’d love to learn more about, and what better way than this one-shot?

Seduction Of The Innocent #2 (Dynamite) – I’m liking the feel of this comic, and the cover is a fantastic homage to the crime comics of old.

Brett

COPRA Round Three (Bergen Street Comics) – The best superhero comic on the market right now. This indie comic has delivered with every single issue. It’s so good I buy them in singles and trades. Just has to be read to really be appreciated, no words will do it justice.

Giant Robot Warrior Maintenance Crew (Cosmic Times) – I loved this when it was in single issues. It focuses on the folks who help make those giant robots actually function when the pilots go into battle. You won’t look at giant robots the same way again after reading this twistedly funny comic.

The Omega Men #7 (DC Comics) – Tom King consistently deliver in this critically praised series.

Squadron Supreme #2 (Marvel) – This “dark” Avengers comic brings all of these characters into the regular Marvel Universe, and their brand of justice isn’t going over well. Should be fascinating to see where it goes.

Star Wars: Obi-Wan and Anakin #1 (Marvel) – Marvel has been knocking it out of the park with their Star Wars comics and I expect no less from this one.

Elana

Top Pick: Black Canary #6 (DC Comics) – In the words of Led Zeppelin “It’s been a long time, been a long time, Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time since issue 5”. Are the members of Black Canary the Queens of Noise or will they be shot through the heart by their former singer? Like Alice Cooper I Love it to Death.

Top Pick: All-New Wolverine #3 (Marvel) – The best it is what it does: being a superhero comic that’s actually All New All Different. Laura Kinny is Wolverine.

Black Magick #3 (Image Comics) – We were promised a witch noir and a witch noir we have! Artist Nicola Scott’s best drawn and moodiest work to date coupled with Greg Rucka who’s always an awesome writer.

Jughead #3 (Archie) – Genuine and tongue in cheek humor at the same time. My favorite Archie series gets better with each issue. I love the character’s voice now. I’m a total Archie newbie and I’ve fallen for it.

Ringside #2 (Image Comics) – Do ya like wrestling, kid? Seedy backstage wrastling drama. General grittiness and industry weary eyes. Big cliffhanger at the end of last issue.

Javier

Top Pick: East of West #23 (Image Comics) – I didn’t read #22 … oh wait … I didn’t have to. There was no dialogue. After that epic failure in the last ish all that Image hints at in the next installment is that “Revelations and Retribution abound.” Can’t wait to find out what exactly that means.

Last Sons Of America #2 (BOOM! Studios) – Another dark and dystopian sci-fi-ish BOOM! title by a relatively unknown writer (Philip Kennedy Johnson). This one centers on human trafficking, and the monetization and exploitation of children. Dark and bleak it is, infused with kidnappings, drug cartels, and guns.

Ragnarok #7 (IDW Publishing) – I’ve been a fan of Walt’s work since the 80s. After forty odd years in the industry, he still has the magic touch. Thor (totally unrelated to Marvel’s Thor) is the Last God Standing about to do battle against Regn, the Black Elf Assassin.

Six #2 (451 Media) – Written by the team of George Pelecanos (of HBO’s The Wire fame) and Andrew Ewington, this title pits Mercs versus Drug Cartels. Another guns and action title, if that’s your thing.

Welcome Back #4 (BOOM! Studios) – I jumped on this one late in the middle of issue #3. Glad I did; I was able to snag first print copies of #1 and #2. I doubt I could find these now. Originally this one was slated to be a mini-series, but Boom has now extended it as an ongoing title due to its well-deserved popularity. Word of mouth spread quickly on this violent story of battling reincarnated assassins, so first printings are now a rarity; but you can probably snag some second or third printings to catch up (by the way I was enjoying Sebela’s run on Dead Letters too, but for some reason after #9, subsequent issues have been released digitally but not in print; what’s up with that).

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling short reviews from the staff of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full review for. These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews.

Alex

Big Foot: Sword Of The Earthman #1 is a brilliant mix of John Carter and the typical Sasquatch myth. It’s a fun read, but I’m expecting more out of the series as it progresses.Overall Rating: 7 Recommendation: Read

Cage Hero #1 is becoming a guilty pleasure. Despite an outlandish concept (even for comics), it’s an entertaining story that lets you turn your brain off for five minutes. Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read

Daredevil #1* is probably the best Daredevil comic I’ve read in years… but then that’s not saying much. Regardless, this opening chapter is well worth checking out, and shows plenty of promise. Overall Rating: 8 Recommendation: Read

Finally, the story in Dead Vengeance #3 has caught up to the current events. This issue was the weakest of the three so far, but more so because it’s bridging the bulk of the story so far with what’s coming next. Worth reading if you’re reading the series, otherwise ignore it and waiting for the trade if you’re interested. Overall 7 Recommendation: Read now, or Read the trade later.

Extraordinary X-Men #2* & #3* Due to a slight snafu with my LCS order, I only recently picked up issue 2 of this series, but it was worth the wait. The scenes in issue #3 between Old Man Logan were interesting, although I expected him to be past that particular issue, I still enjoyed watching them talk. I can sense the relationship between these two morph into a father/daughter vibe, much like Wolverine had with Kitty Pride or Jubilee. Keep your eye on this series. Overall Rating (Both): 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Seduction of the Innocent #1 is a crime comic in the vein of those before the Comics Code Authority came to pass, something the name of the comic (taken from Fredric Wertham’s book of the same name) pays homage too. As a comic it’s interesting, and it’s worth keeping an eye on the series as it progresses if you’re looking for a well written, well drawn non super hero comic. Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read

Elana

All New Wolverine #2* continues to be Marvel’s best title. Laura kicks ass while continually demonstrating her humanity in the face of monstrous abuses of power. The clones are as heartbreaking as they need to be. I can’t wait for more with the classic villain reveal at the end. Overall 9. Recommendation: Buy

Daredevil #1. It feels like a return to form. A return to Miller and Mazzucchelli groundbreaking work with the character decades ago. Quality stuff but I’m not sure what new there is to offer. The bad guy seems like an Orientalist stereotype but I’m excited by Daredevil’s new side kick, Samuel Chung aka Blindspot. He’s an undocumented immigrant and I love the idea of teasing that metaphor out– he’s literally an invisible man. That’s his power.

I’m giving this a 7 but I could easily see it getting better with time. Recommendation: Read

Papergirls #3. Keeps getting spiraling out at getting more complex. But in a good way. It remains addictive and I adore the characters. Another smash hit from Vaughn and Chang. I kinda expect it to get film optioned since 80s period pieces are such a thing and so far I can see that really working. Colorist Matt Wilson should get an Eisner for his work here. Overall 9.25 Recommendation: Buy

Well, there you have it, folks. The reviews we didn’t quite get a chance to write.

Please note that with some of the above comics, Graphic Policy was provided FREE copies for review. Where we purchased the comics, you’ll see an asterisk (*). If you don’t see that, you can infer the comic was a review copy. In cases where we were provided a review copy and we also purchased the comic you’ll see two asterisks (**).

San Francisco, 1953. FBI Agent Thomas Jennings has just arrived in the city, fresh-faced and ready to tackle crime in the big city… he thinks. In fact, Jennings is not nearly prepared for what he’s about to encounter. The city’s crime lords are being systematically murdered, and the killers waiting to fill the void are the pure stuff of Jennings’ nightmares. Jennings will be forced to question every belief he holds dear to protect his wife and unborn child from the madness. Gritty, sometimes depraved crime fiction in the tradition of James Elroy, Jim Thompson and EC-era crime and horror comics, from writer of Capote in Kansas and Cuidad, the team that brought you The Death of Zorro and The Lone Ranger!

Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!

We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Alex

Top Pick: Howard the Duck #1 (Marvel) – Chip Zdarsky is putting out one of the most entertaining Marvel comics around with Howard the Duck. My top pick was a tough decision between this and Johnny Red #2, and that’s honestly a good problem to have.

Bigfoot: Sword Of The Earthman #1 (Action Lab Entertainment) – This looks like a mix of John Carter, Gladiator and Bigfoot. Which sounds amazing.

Extraordinary X-Men #3 (Marvel) – I actually never read issue #2 due a slight snafu with Diamond not delivering it to my LCS, so I’ll be getting two issues to read on Wednesday, and based on the buzz I’ve heard about #2, I’m excited for #3 as well.

Johnny Red #2 (Titan Comics) – This Garth Ennis penned series came out of nowhere last month to be one of the best comics I ended up reading with it’s tale of a Second World War British fighter pilot facing off against the Nazi’s in Russia. I can’t wait to get my hands on this issue.

Seduction Of The Innocent #1 (Dynamite Entertainment) – looks like an old school crime comic with some modern flair. My fancy is tickled.

Ash

Top Pick: Spidey #1 (Marvel) – As a huge Spider-Man fan I am always excited and interested in new titles, and this is no different. A fresh take on a young web-head…well it has been done before (Ultimate Spider-Man anyone?) but you know I am really excited by this new take. It promises to be fun, action packed and completely modern (#Spidey?). The artwork is bold, bright and as fresh as the plotline promises to be. For any true-believers out there, this is an issue not to be missed!

Brett

Top Pick: The Private Eye Deluxe Edition (Image Comics) – It’s actually a tough week for choices and I could easily do a top twenty myself, but I have to go with the Private Eye as my top pick. First, there’s a good chance you missed this when it was first released as a digital comic. Second, it’s by Brian K. Vaughan and Marcos Martin. Third, it’s fantastic. Fourth, this series was launched as a pay what you want directly from Vaughan, and is a solid example of disrupting the system successfully, so much so it’s in print. So, pick this up in print, or go and grab it digitally. Just make sure to read it.

Carver: A Paris Story #1 (Z2 Comics) – Z2 has been putting out solid books regularly and this new series has a nice throwback to 70s European action films. There’s lots of cliches, but that’s partially what makes it all really fun. This should be creator Chris Hunt’s break out series. Do yourself a favor and give it a look.

Johnny Red #2 (Titan Comics) – Did you read the first issue? If so, that should be reason enough as to why this is on the list. Writer Garth Ennis is taking on the classic character and doing so in a brilliant way. Just completely caught me off guard int he quality, because holy crap it’s good.

Sheriff of Babylon #1 (Vertigo) – I did an early review of the issue and it’s not what I thought it’d be. At its heart, Sheriff of Babylon is a crime comic set in a warzone. What’s really impressive and fascinating is writer Tom King’s use of his real life experiences.

X’Ed #1 (Black Mask Studios) – It’d be easy to just call this Inception the comic, but there’s much more going on here than a trippy dive in to someone’s mind. The comic has some really interesting twists and turns in the first issue that kept me on my toes, and that ending is rather intriguing. Black Mask Studios has had a string of hits and I expect this to be their next.

Gotham Academy #12 (DC Comics) – This is one of my favorite comics and I feel like its been going under the radar. Amazingly written, a diverse group of kids, art that can be both adorable and haunting as needed. I don’t even catch all of the easter eggs and references to Batman lore from ages past but that doesn’t matter. The school is haunted both literally and metaphorically and it’s impossible to not be invested in these stories. This is the last issue of a wonderful arc.

The Humans #10 / Image Firsts The Humans #1 (Image Comics) – If you’ve been reading this kickass 1970-biker-apesploitation series then you need issue 10, the culmination of the first miniseries. This month Image Comics is also reissuing number 1 so tell the fresh meat there’s something they need to buy for good times and cheap thrills. This comic feels like an ultra-violent 1970s underground comic, it comes with it’s own online soundtrack and the art is freaking flawless. Still not convinced? Here’s my review of the first part of the series.

Papergirls #3 (Image Comics) – This is the new Saga: very friendly to non-comics readers, totally enchanting, breathlessly exciting and full of amazing female characters. Read J9s review of issue 2. Boy, that was a “heart in your throat” cliff hanger at the end of the last issue!

Space Riders TP Vol. 1 (Black Mask Studios) – It feels like 70’s Jack Kirby filtered through many levels of Heavy Metal Magazine (think Moebius, Druillet). Only more underground and loose. A bit of a space western with a Jodorowsky-ish flying skull ship! A more Red Sonja-ish Gamora. Christy Karacas (creator of the cartoon Super Jail) levels of choas and scribble. If my description makes sense to you then you’ll probably like this. If my description doesn’t make sense to you, and you are ok with that, you may like it too. “I like my coffee like I like my space: black and infinite”- Capitan Peligro.

Thomas

Top Pick: Robin War #1 (DC Comics) – Perfectly timed for the winter season, DC Comics is running a small event that crosses over the various Robin titles, bookended by these one-shots. Previews and solicits make this event look like it could be a lot of fun, so it’s a definite must-read!

All-New X-Men #1 (Marvel) – Continuing Marvel’s All-New All-Different launches, this gives Dennis Hopeless the chance to write young superheroes once again. The All-New X-Men – minus Jean Grey, but with Kid Apocalypse and Idie added to their ranks – are headed for a road-trip to decide their role in the future of the Marvel Universe. All-New X-Men may not be set to headline the X-Men range as it did under Brian Bendis, but it still looks set to be one of the most fun comics out there.

Exit Generation #3 (ComixTribe) – Sam Read and Caio Oliveira have been producing an unusual but fantastic series, steeped in sci-fi and with an admirable sense of style. Independent comics don’t often get the attention they deserve, and this series is one that deserves a lot of attention!

Invincible Iron Man #4 (Marvel) – One of the strangest shifts in All-New All-Different Marvel is a change in Mary-Jane Watson’s status quo. She’s going from a member of Spider-Man’s supporting cast to a member of Iron Man’s supporting cast, and this is the issue that kicks that off. It’s going to be fascinating to see how (not to mention why) Brian Bendis pulls this off…

Spider-Gwen: Most Wanted Trade Paperback (Marvel) – The first Spider-Gwen series (shorted to a miniseries due to Secret Wars) was tremendously popular, and this is the chance to collect it as a trade paperback! Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez pull off a tremendously fun story with energy and verve, and this book is sure to impress anyone who didn’t pick up the original issues.

Dynamite Entertainment has announced that Ande Parks and Esteve Polls, the acclaimed creative team of The Death of Zorro and The Lone Ranger, will reunite for an all-new comic book series, Seduction of the Innocent. Gritty and sometimes depraved crime fiction in the tradition of James Elroy and EC-era crime and horror comics, the series will debut in December 2015 with cover artwork by Eisner Award-winning artist Francesco Francavilla.

Set in the San Francisco of 1953, Seduction of the Innocent introduces Thomas Jennings, an FBI agent who has just arrived in the city, fresh-faced and ready to tackle crime in the big city… or so he thinks. In fact, Jennings is not nearly prepared for what he’s about to encounter. The city’s crime lords are being systematically murdered, and the killers waiting to fill the void are the pure stuff of Jennings’ nightmares. Jennings will be forced to question every belief he holds dear to protect his wife and unborn child from the madness.

Seduction of the Innocent #1 will be solicited for release in December in Diamond Comic Distributors’ October Previews catalog.

For a few years they were at the forefront of the comic book industry, pushing the envelope with the stories they told, and influencing some of the most recognizable names in horror over the past five decades. From the late 40’s to the mid 50’s, horror comics essentially printed money for their publishers.

It would not, it could not, last.

There is some debate as to the first horror comic; Prize Comics #7began an eight page feature adapting Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, causing some to label it as the first true horror series. There were other adaptations during the early to mid 40’s, one of which was Gilberton Publications Classic Comics #13. Printing a full adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case Of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Classic Comics #13 is the earliest known comic book dedicated purely to horror.

Source: wikipedia

However the first horror comic with original content is widely recognized as Eerie Comics #1, by Avon Publications cover dated January of 1947 (but the comic was actually published at the tail end of 1946). This volume of Eerie Comics never had a second issue, but it was relaunched in 1951.

Horror comics enjoyed some popularity on the newsstands, but it wasn’t until 1950 when EC Comics came on the scene that the genre really exploded with EC’s “trifecta of terror”: The Haunt of Fear, The Vault of Horror, and Crypt of Terror – which later became Tales from the Crypt.

The stories in the above comics, and the others that would follow, are bloody, gory, gruesome, macabre, sinister, and, at times, silly. They were truly horrific comics, but for some they were absolutely wonderful, and their influence on game-changing artists and writers can’t be overstated. Stephen King and George Romero, both hugely influential men on their own, created the film Creepshow as a love letter to the comics that influenced them as children. Alan Moore, one of the most acclaimed comic book writers of the past few decades, has a character reading an EC Comics-like story at a newsstand throughout the main story of Watchmen. Years later, HBO would develop a very successful anthology television show that ran from 1989 to 1996 based on the content of many EC stories published in during the 50’s, turning the Cryptkeeper into a household name.

But the golden age of horror comics of the early to mid 50’s would not last.

With the fallout from Fredric Wertham‘s book Seduction of the Innocent,and the Comics Code Authority (CCA) that resulted, horror comics, hit hard than any other genre, were virtually wiped out over night. Jobs were lost, publishers nearly went out of business, and the face of comics changed forever. Horror comics were everywhere, until suddenly they weren’t.

To say horror comics vanished over night isn’t strictly accurate. The essence of the comics stayed alive despite the CCA’s best efforts. James Warren of Warren Publishing would produce black and white horror comics, but published as a magazine, they were exempt from the CCA’s rules. By publishing these stories in a magazine format, Warren paved the way for other publishers to produce horror comics magazines.

Horror comics, like any good villain, wouldn’t stay down forever.

Although the Comics Code Authority spelled the end of horror comics for many years, we are currently experiencing a resurgence in horror comics – in a large part, perhaps, because the CCA has been entirely abandoned by publishers. The old EC Comics, those classically macabre stories that are finally making their way into reprinted volumes that for fans of the genre are an unparalleled look into the past. Modern comic books like The Walking Dead, American Vampire, and 30 Days of Night are only a handful of the titles that are carrying the torch of influence that can traced back to the golden age of horror of the early 50’s.

While perhaps not as popular as they were 60 years ago, when they accounted for almost a quarter of all comics published, horror comics have been making a steady return to prominence in the comic book world.

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Graphic Policy believes in journalistic integrity and transparency. We will disclose when a product has been given for free for review and/or when no cost has been incurred to the staff so that you may be able to make a fully informed decision as to the opinions provided.

When a product has been provided for free you will see disclosure at the bottom of the article. When such a disclosure does not exist, you can assume that the items have been purchased for review.

- The Management

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